Introduces students to journalism today and takes a fresh look at opportunities ahead. The first unit of the book examines today's news landscape and the role journalism plays in the twenty-first century. It chronicles the evolution of print media, the development of citizen journalism, as well as new forms of journalism.
Takes a fresh new look at writing for the Web, radio, and television. “Writing for the Web” shows how Web stories are structured, examines online readers' expectations, and advises on writing effectively for electronic media, while “Writing for Radio and Television” stresses the unique elements of writing for and preparing news copy for these media.
Spotlights the most relevant content for students: local news. Journalism students don't start out as news anchors; their first job usually involves local news. “Covering a Beat” now gives the instruction and tips students need first -- covering city and county government, schools, higher education, police, and sports all in one chapter. A streamlined “Basic Local News” chapter focuses on reportorial mainstays -- crime stories, accident and fire stories, court stories, and obituaries.
New annotated stories highlight the importance of solid writing and reporting, showing the best ways to use quotations and attributions, write for news Web sites, see the differences between breaking news and follow-up stories, and more.
New end-of-chapter exercises support group collaboration -- from interviewing to investigating -- in a team-based environment.
The best online resources for today's students. News Central gives students the tools they need to become better writers and reporters -- from up-to-the-moment RSS feeds that keep them on top of the news of the day to extensive writing coverage that helps them overcome grammar and style issues. VideoCentral: Journalism, a new feature of the site, offers videos of top-working journalists talking about the trade and videos of students modeling practical interview techniques.